Harold Davies (actor)

Harold "Harry" Davies was born in 1964 into a large happy family (two brothers and three sisters) in Hampstead, London. He attended schools in London, Essex and Sussex before going on to University of Oxford and Milan Italy. Harold also had the great fortune to travel widely from an early age and is now a seasoned traveller.

From a legal family of long reputable standing, Mr. Davies Snr. was made one of the first coloured members of the Queen's Counsel after his successful work in the wake of the Mau Mau Uprising.

On completing his secondary education at Shoreham Grammar School where he took A levels before going on to a pre-university course, Harold started his studies at Oxford where he met Gabriella, his partner in life and, since 1985. Following graduation, the young couple left for Gabriella's native Italy, where they were to spend the next twenty years.

Despite having followed a vocational course of studies, including a masters degree at the Bocconi University of Milan, Harold was deeply ambivalent about the first job he obtained in Italy, teaching marketing skills to employees of car company Pirelli. He had always longed to work in the entertainment industry and was determined to succeed in this difficult field, despite common wisdom suggesting that he should "stick with the day job" and enjoy a steady income. Harold was quite sure that he would be a great entertainer; it was just a matter of finding his niche.

Fortunately, destiny intervened in the form of Italian comedian Pippo Franco. When the Italian television network put out a call for entertainers who would relate jokes, Harold applied and was called for an audition. The audition went well and attracted Pippo's attention.

Pippo Franco has long been a mainstay of Italian television and cinema and in Italy is as loved and appreciated as Lenny Henry is in the United Kingdom. Pippo's trademark face is well-known and loved. Harold and Pippo became friendly and Pippo assured Harold that he had what it takes to make it in the world of entertainment.

Harold didn't take much convincing. Without further ado and with nothing to lose but his dreams, he threw in the towel at Pirelli and headed for the glitter and lights of Italian television and public life. His first television job consisted, quite simply of beginning and ending a show hosted by Pippo Franco by telling a joke.

What followed was an eclectic twenty year tour through Italy's national television stations and some of their most important network programming, as well as a hectic schedule of public appearances ranging from holding down a position as presenter of a prime time radio show broadcast on Italian radio from California, to acting in mainstream Italian cinema alongside veteran actor Carlo Verdone and making regular appearances on TV shows including "Buona Domenica" (a daytime Sunday show that is a veritable institution in Italy), the Italian "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Price is Right" and "Striscia Ia Notizia" (a tongue-in-cheek news show broadly similar to "Have I Got News for You"), as well as presenting his own shows, such as "VIP Mania".

Work was rewarding and fun, and also afforded Harold the opportunity to meet everybody who is anybody in Italy's pantheon of stars in over a hundred distinct TV shows. At one point, Harold was in charge of the most exclusive club in Sardinia, helping to enable the worlds richest and most famous enjoy life while avoiding the onslaught of publicity that comes with celebrity.

As well as an intimate knowledge of Italy's world of entertainment Harold has had the opportunity to gain some insight into the world of politics In 1991, Silvio Berlusconi (now the colourful Prime Minister of Italy) founded Forza Italia (Italy's largest political party) Berlusconi's success can be attributed to a great extent to his ability to communicate with people in a light-hearted and entertaining way. In 1991, Harold was asked by Berlusconi to be his personal crowd warmer every time he had to give a message. Before long, Harold's performances had become an integral part of Berlusconi's public appearances. The easy nature of Harold's relationship with Silvio Berlusconi is witnessed by the fact they remain in close contact to this day.

Harold also wrote a clause on the protection of the world atmospheres that was presented on behalf of the Finnish government at the United Nations assembly. Harold now lives in the UK but still works in Italy. Beneath the UK's greyer skies, Harold has been an active member of the Rotary Club as well as giving speeches, motivational and otherwise, raising money for charity and acting as a motivator, Harold maintains regular ties with Italy, which he visits frequently for personal and professional reasons alike but has decided to make his home in the UK.

Harold embraces the new challenge that faces him with enthusiasm, transferring his twenty years of experience in the Italian entertainment industry to the British arena. He is determined to achieve an even higher level of success.

elected work experience

*1990-present: Speech giver for organisations including the Rotary Clubs and motivator. Also performing functions as a Presenter and Show host
*1997 - 2004: Presenter and entertainer at the Forte Village Resort in Sardinia, a highly exclusive destination for the crème de Ia crème of The worlds Top Business, Sports and Entertainment Community. A position held for six months in the calendar year
*2001: Actor in Film "Once there was a Chinese in a Coma" ( C'era un Cinese in Coma) with Carlo Verdone (Director)
*1997 - 1998: Presenter of the TV show "VlP Mania-Summer" (VIP Mania Estate).
*1997: DJ with Radio RTL 102. The show "Trading Places" (Una Poltrone per Due) was transmitted daily
*1996 - 1997: Interviewer on TV show "House by House" (Casa per Casa)
*1995 - 1996: Actor/author in Film "Chicken Park" with Jerry Cala (Director).
*1995: Actor in Film "Kids of the Night' (Raggazzi della Notte) with Jerry Cala (Director).
*1995: TV Presenter (first coloured presenter) for News on National TV "Open Studio" (Studio Aperto) with Paolo Liguori (Editor)
*1994 - 1997: Presenter of TV show VIP Mania on Italia 7. Channel
*1994: Cabaret performer on TV show "Advertising . Oscar Awards" (Oscar della Pubblicita`)
*1993 - 1995: Actor in numerous episodes "Candid Camera Show" (Scherzi a parte)
*1993 - 1995: Judge/game show/presenter host on TV show Buona Domenica, a daytime weekend staple of Italian TV
*1992 - 1994: Cast member of TV show "Have you Heard the latest?" (La Sai l'Ultima?) with Pippo Franco (Leading Italian comedian)
*1992 - 1993: Commentator on Daily TV show "Naturally Beautiful" (Naturalmente Bella)
*1992-1994: Commentator/translator on Daily TV show Uno Mania
*1990: Actor in Film "The End of the Night" (La Fine della Notte) with Davide Ferrario as director

Additional accomplishments

Harold Davies has recorded a total of twelve musical albums, scores for Films, Radio and commercial sales. Other TV guest appearances on Striscia la Notizia, the Maurizio Constanzo TV Show, "30 hours for live TV show" (30 Ore per la Vita), "The Great Big VIP Quiz" (Quizzone VIP) "The Truth about VIPs (La Verita' VIP), "Italian VIP Festival (Festival Italiano VIP), "VIP Couple's Games" (Gioco della Coppie), "Give me the Pleasure VIP" (Ma mi faccia ii Piacere VIP), "The House of Mosca" (Casa Mosca), "The Wheel of Fortune VIP" (La Ruota della Fortuna VIP), "The Price is Right VIP" (Il Prezzo e Giusto VIP). And numerous other shows and events.

He has provided voice services for innumerable commercials on radio, including Italian, French, German and American. Harold Davies was the official presenter of the last two Miss Italia pageant competitions held at the world famous Forte Village Resort in Sardinia, Italy

Professional and charitable membership

Harold Davies is a member of the Italian national club of artists, the Oxford Rotary Club, the Clarendon Club, the Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori (SIAE - Italian society for singers and songwriters and Entertainers) and the SIULP (Honorary member of the Italian Syndicate of Police).

External links